Texas Tech University

AFS Team Brings Home Top Honor in Innovation Hub iLaunch Contest

Norman Martin | December 4, 2024

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An innovative olfactometer-based system that significantly improves detection dog training and performance helped a research team from the Texas Tech Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources to a first-place finish in the Texas Tech Innovation Hub’s annual iLaunch Competition & Red Raider Idea Competition. 

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The dynamic pitch competition, designed to identify, nurture, and propel innovative startup companies toward success, was held on Friday (Nov. 22) at the Texas Tech Innovation Hub.

The K9 Finds team, led by Associate Professor of Companion Animal Science Nathaniel Hall and Assistant Professor of Animal Behavior & Welfare Edgar Aviles-Rosa from the Department of Animal & Food Sciences, focused on a promising technology with the potential to enhance the capabilities of detection dogs, benefiting law enforcement, security, and search and rescue operations. The first-place win came with a $10,000 award.

“This is an exciting opportunity for our research to turn into a product available to the detection dog community,” said Hall. “We are so grateful for the mentorship and guidance from the Texas Tech Innovation Hub to make this a reality.”  

“It is a blessing to see how years of works have turn into an award weaning product that have the potential to improve detection dog training," added Aviles-Rosa.  "I am grateful to Dr. Hall for the opportunity to collaborate in this project and grateful to the Innovation Hub for all the advice and help in the creation of our new startup, K9 Finds.” 

Participating iLaunch teams were evaluated by a panel of entrepreneurs, faculty, investors and staff using the iLaunch Scorecard. The top 10 finalists will receive mentorship as they prepare to showcase their ideas at the iLaunch Competition Event, where they pitch their ventures to a panel of "sharks" in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment.

“University spin-off companies are a crucial mechanism for translating academic research into real-world applications” said Davis College Strategic Partnerships & Innovation Senior Director Cele Stone. “K9 Finds is an excellent example of how passionate researchers identified a need and created technology to solve a problem.”

According to the Innovation Hub at Research Park website, the iLaunch event showcased creativity and determination of talented teams as they pitched ideas to panels of judges and the public. Attendees included iTTU Mentors, Texas Tech alumni, staff, students, and members of the West Texas community. The gathering, sponsored by the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance and the Tech Hub Entrepreneur Alumni Network, highlighted the power of collaboration and the impact of entrepreneurship on the region and beyond. 

Launched in 2015, the Texas Tech Innovation Hub at Research Park is the first of five facilities dedicated to house and provide access to resources to students, faculty, alum and entrepreneurs in the new entrepreneurship and innovation initiative at Texas Tech. The focus of The Hub is to drive economic development in west Texas and beyond. https://www.depts.ttu.edu/research/research-park/explore/hub-plan.php 

CONTACT: Cele Stone, Sr. Director of Strategic Partnerships & Innovation, Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 834-6266 or Cele.Stone@ttu.edu 

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